PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Aaron McGinnis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dom Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). McGinnis comes to the cage accompanied by Star.One - Original Badman Feat. Takura & Assassin. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

McGinnis
vs
Cruz

179 cm
22
148 lbs
7 - 0 - 0

172 cm
22
144 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Aspire Clothing
Zenith Nutrition (160q/225$)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Aaron McGinnis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dom Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Ben Watson, Eliza Hachem and Chris Dean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz doesn't manage to clinch there - McGinnis circles away.
Cruz throws a body punch but McGinnis moves out of range.
McGinnis swings for the body but Cruz moves out of range.
McGinnis keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
McGinnis looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Cruz has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from McGinnis.
Cruz scores with a jab to the body.
McGinnis misses with a straight right.
Cruz drops his hands momentarily and McGinnis takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
McGinnis has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
McGinnis misses with a hook.
McGinnis uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cruz.
Cruz throws a nice looking combination but McGinnis bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
McGinnis appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
A jab lands there for McGinnis.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cruz. McGinnis does a little dance to reset his feet.
McGinnis doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

Cruz throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. McGinnis was covering up waiting for the punch and Cruz finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
McGinnis managing to control the position.
Cruz won't allow McGinnis to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGinnis is pulling down on Cruz's head to control his posture.
Cruz throws a big right hand that misses.
Cruz chips away with some ground and pound.
Cruz postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Cruz is in close to McGinnis's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but McGinnis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cruz sitting in guard here, content to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cruz is looking to work some ground and pound but McGinnis has wrist control.
Cruz stays in close to McGinnis's body and controls the position.
Cruz scoring with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
McGinnis seems keen to control Cruz's posture.
Cruz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Cruz throwing strikes from guard but McGinnis blocks nicely.
Cruz wants to control from the top but McGinnis keeps moving.
Cruz is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Cruz comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
McGinnis checks the leg kick.
Cruz avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
McGinnis takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
McGinnis looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Cruz is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down McGinnis rather than just go for the knockout.
Cruz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
That kick from Cruz tenderised McGinnis's leg. McGinnis is trying to keep his angry face on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big right from McGinnis misses.
McGinnis thuds a left hand into Cruz's body.
Cruz fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. McGinnis looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Sloppy strikes from Cruz. Those never looked like landing.
McGinnis is looking to counter punch.
McGinnis bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Cruz's head.
McGinnis misses with a low kick.
McGinnis lands a leg kick that knocks Cruz off balance momentarily.
McGinnis lands a slapping body shot.
Cruz staying out of range there.
Cruz bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

Cruz moves into range and clinches up with McGinnis.
Still in the clinch, McGinnis scores with a nice short uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cruz tries to work over McGinnis's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
McGinnis swings wildly with an uppercut but Cruz uses good head movement to avoid it.

Cruz jumps into guard, dragging McGinnis to the mat.

McGinnis avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
McGinnis wants to control from the top but Cruz keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
McGinnis sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Cruz is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
McGinnis controlling from the top position.
Cruz is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
McGinnis slips nicely into half guard.
Cruz is looking to control McGinnis's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Cruz avoid being mounted?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dom Cruz will probably get the nod.
That's time! McGinnis's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Cruz tries to land a front kick but McGinnis steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Cruz defending well as McGinnis loads up on a big left hand.
A combination from McGinnis does no damage.
Cruz fails with the takedown.
McGinnis looks to land a right hand but Cruz moved out of range.
A little jabbing left from Cruz on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
A bone on bone clash there as McGinnis blocks the leg kick.
McGinnis misses with a straight left.
Cruz throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cruz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
The fighters circling - Cruz throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Cruz lands with a nice body punch.
McGinnis throws a big shot that misses.
It seemed like Cruz was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McGinnis misses with a hook to the body
and Cruz counters with a three punch combo that has McGinnis backing up. McGinnis nods at Cruz to acknowledge the strikes.
Dom Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice defenses there by McGinnis.
McGinnis will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Cruz fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Cruz takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Dom Cruz seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
McGinnis feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Cruz's calf.
McGinnis misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cruz.
McGinnis chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts McGinnis as he jumps to the side.
Horrible takedown attempt by Cruz or perhaps it was just good defense by McGinnis, which made it look bad.
Aaron McGinnis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dom Cruz.
Cruz scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. McGinnis doesn't seem bothered though.
McGinnis scores with a nice right hand.
McGinnis takes a swing at Cruz's ribcage but misses.
Cruz ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Cruz swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses.
McGinnis misses with a straight left.
Cruz throws a head kick but McGinnis moves out of range.
Cruz misses with a hook
and McGinnis counters with a nice body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McGinnis throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
McGinnis fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
McGinnis tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
The fighters circle momentarily. McGinnis darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
McGinnis misses with a looping left.
Cruz pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
It looked like McGinnis wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Cruz takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Cruz works McGinnis's body with a nice hook.
Cruz misses with a few strikes there.
A shot to the liver by McGinnis. Beautiful body shot.
McGinnis lands with a nice body kick.
Cruz fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
McGinnis throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
McGinnis scores with a jab to the jaw.
McGinnis lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Cruz is rocked!
McGinnis swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cruz is still on wobbly legs! Can McGinnis finish him?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throws a leg kick that is checked
and McGinnis counters with a nice uppercut.
Cruz takes a swing at McGinnis's ribcage but misses.
Cruz is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
McGinnis uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cruz.
A swing and a miss from Cruz.
Cruz ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
McGinnis takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
McGinnis checks a low kick from Cruz.
Cruz seems to have recovered his senses.
McGinnis takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
A left lands for McGinnis.
Cruz just misses with a punch to the body.
Cruz misses with a hook
and McGinnis counters with a straight right hand.
McGinnis drops a shoulder and throws an uppercut that cracks Cruz right on the button. Cruz goes down! McGinnis follows him to the mat and finishes the job with more strikes! McGinnis gets the win via TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:49 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Aaron McGinnis!
After winning the bout, Aaron McGinnis thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.